To provide you the very best entertainment experience, Verizon continues to enhance our FiOS® network. We wanted you to be aware of an upcoming change that may impact how you view certain HD channels.

On or after April 15, 2013, we will be making a change to our network which may require that you exchange your current High Definition Set Top Box (STB)** if you want to access the HD channels impacted by this change (list provided below). The exchange is provided at no cost to you. If you choose to exchange your STB, it's a simple process. You can order a new STB directly from your FiOS® TV and we will promptly mail it to you, along with a box and pre-paid label so you can easily return your old STB.
You are not required to exchange your Set Top Box

If you want to view the impacted channels below on or after April 15, 2013, then you may be required to exchange your current Set Top Box at no cost to you

Set Top Box exchange is a simple process - your FiOS TV will guide you through the process in a few easy steps. On or after April 15, 2013, when you tune to one of the impacted channels below, your FiOS TV will recommend you exchange your Set Top Box and show you how to do so

Verizon will ship your new Set Top Box promptly, and include a box and pre-paid shipping label to return your old Set Top Box. We'll also include simple instructions for connecting your new Set Top Box

If you have multiple boxes that are impacted by this network change, your FiOS TV will prompt you to exchange all boxes that require a replacement, again at no cost to you

Here are the channels impacted by our network change on or after April 15, 2013:

To determine if your HD STB(s) must be exchanged to view the impacted channels:

Press the MENU button on your remote

Navigate to CUSTOMER SUPPORT, select IN-HOME AGENT, choose SET TOP BOX EXCHANGE, and then press OK

You can then follow the onscreen prompts to determine if your HD STB(s) must be replaced and submit a STB exchange request.

We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to continuing to provide you with the very best entertainment over the FiOS network.

Sincerely,

Your Verizon Team

Any ideas what it means? Are they transitioning to MPEG-4 on these channels?

I assume this optimistic footnote means their cablecard is compatible, but that my TiVoHD is probably not.

Quote:

** CableCARDs provided by Verizon are compatible with the network enhancements being made and do not require an exchange. If you use a CableCARD and experience issues viewing any of the channels listed above, please click here for more information.

Cox provides about 30 channels in H.264 (MPEG-4) and the Premieres work fine with that format, (after the May 2012 SW update), However the Series 3 and TiVoHD did not get a SW update and cannot display H.264 at this time. The TiVoHD probably could with a SW update, having another provider other than Cox now providing H.264 perhaps TiVo could be persuaded???

I just got the e-mail too. I had a knot in my stomach that they were going to SDV. Having that stupid extra box before I dumped TWCNYC was a nightmare. I always had to reboot it.

I hope this isn't SDV.

It WOULD be awesome if there was some kind of small update for the HD/HDXL so these channels would be viewable. But that's probably the reason why they are trying to get people to upgrade to the Premieres, with some of those "lucrative" lifetime offers floating around.

Verizon delivers programming in both MPEG 2 and MPEG 4 format. If your device only supports content delivered in MPEG 2 format, then the services delivered in MPEG 4 will not be displayed when you select them.

VZ wouldn't need to update their boxes for SDV.

We know the TivoHD boxes can handle some MP4 video.

Does anyone know if the TivoHD has the hardware to even handle the video?

Cox provides about 30 channels in H.264 (MPEG-4) and the Premieres work fine with that format, (after the May 2012 SW update), However the Series 3 and TiVoHD did not get a SW update and cannot display H.264 at this time. The TiVoHD probably could with a SW update, having another provider other than Cox now providing H.264 perhaps TiVo could be persuaded???

FiOS started broadcasting some MPEG4 channels last Spring. I think they have around a dozen of them now. They worked fine with my Premieres. They are Spanish channels and Sports game channels. I tested a few of the FiOS MPEG 4 channels out when they had baseball and hockey previews last year.

It's nice that they are finally going to switch some channels to MPEG4. I only wish they would switch more of them to free up even more space. And I hope that any new channels they add will also be using MPEG4.

SDV would make no sense for FIOS, it doesn't really fit into the FTTH model.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigJimOutlaw

This is an h.264 (mpeg4) transition. They're slowly phasing out 6xxx-series boxes for their newer boxes that can handle mpeg4.

Premieres are good to go. Series 3 boxes would need a software update to watch those channels but I doubt Tivo's going to update those anymore.

That's awesome. Sounds like they are starting with a few junk channels and will slowly move to MPEG-4 so that they don't have the MPEG-2 boxes coming in one big flood to get swapped out.

So they will probably end up doing 4 MPEG-4 channels per QAM instead of 2 MPEG-2's? I so wish Comcast would do this so that they could go from 3 per QAM to 4 MPEG-4 per QAM and not have over-compressed channels.

My parents have a FIOS DVR and it mostly goes unused. They are not of the DVR generation, I guess.

I am OK with FIOS improving their network and obsoleting old gear. My Series 3s are getting on 6 and 7 yrs old, I guess. Nothing lasts forever. One is lifetime and one is on the $6.99/mo grandfathered clause. Have a few Series 4s on Lifetime.

The channels that are Mpeg4 aren't ones I watch. I'd be more upset if it were something I actually watch. If I can get a couple more years out of the S3s that'd be great.

My parents have a FIOS DVR and it mostly goes unused. They are not of the DVR generation, I guess.

I am OK with FIOS improving their network and obsoleting old gear. My Series 3s are getting on 6 and 7 yrs old, I guess. Nothing lasts forever. One is lifetime and one is on the $6.99/mo grandfathered clause. Have a few Series 4s on Lifetime.

The channels that are Mpeg4 aren't ones I watch. I'd be more upset if it were something I actually watch. If I can get a couple more years out of the S3s that'd be great.

That's not the issue. Verizon is not obsoleting the boxes. TiVo is by refusing to roll out a patch to support MPEG-4.

I wonder if you can transfer an MPEG-4 recording from a Premiere to an S3? Probably not.

I wonder if you can transfer an MPEG-4 recording from a Premiere to an S3? Probably not.

I can, and I get sound, but no picture. (This happens even with files that I'd previously pushed to the S3 as MP4s and had them work fine, when I pull them to the Premiere as transport streams and from there try to pull them to the S3.)

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I take it with a S3 it's not possible to transfer MPEG-4 files to a PC to make them playable? Or can they not be stored on a S3 in the first place and it isn't just matter of not being able to play them?

There is a post on Tivo's website that says they are sending down an update to S3 and S2 boxes for the certificate problem. Wouldn't it be cool, if they could add Tivo App enhancements and MPEG4 support to S3 at the same time.

I am sure someone inside Tivo had done this for their own equipment. They should 'share the love'

There is a post on Tivo's website that says they are sending down an update to S3 and S2 boxes for the certificate problem. Wouldn't it be cool, if they could add Tivo App enhancements and MPEG4 support to S3 at the same time.

I am sure someone inside Tivo had done this for their own equipment. They should 'share the love'

Fixing the expired cookie (not certificate) problem is fairly simple in terms of code modifications. Adding MPEG4 support is a tad more difficult.

I take it with a S3 it's not possible to transfer MPEG-4 files to a PC to make them playable? Or can they not be stored on a S3 in the first place and it isn't just matter of not being able to play them?

Interesting question. It never occurred to me to try that. I'll have to wait for some MPEG4 channels to become available again before I can test if the S3 can record them (I expect not). It can store the recordings, at least after a fashion, since I pulled some from the Premiere. And you can extract transport streams from the S3 (although you can't send them back), so it might be possible to pull them off again intact.

But, even if it works, it doesn't seem terribly useful.

Quote:

Originally Posted by philhu

I am sure someone inside Tivo had done this for their own equipment.

I doubt that very much.

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I just got the e-mail too. I had a knot in my stomach that they were going to SDV. Having that stupid extra box before I dumped TWCNYC was a nightmare. I always had to reboot it.

I hope this isn't SDV.

Don't be foolish. The transition to h.264 is a temporary band-aid. It gains at the very most a 100% increase in effective bandwidth, and that just isn't going to cut it. Of course, in the case of FIOS, they can simply abandon their fixed broadcast network entirely, and switch everything to IPTV. That is not practical with a traditional CATV system.

Overall I am very happy with my new CATV provider, but I desperately wish they would implement SDV. Although I pay somewhat less than I did with TWC, it is really not nearly enough less to justify the loss of over 30 channels of prime content. ( I also lost about 100 channels of junk, but I don't really care about that.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotNowChief

It WOULD be awesome if there was some kind of small update for the HD/HDXL so these channels would be viewable. But that's probably the reason why they are trying to get people to upgrade to the Premieres, with some of those "lucrative" lifetime offers floating around.

Don't be foolish. The transition to h.264 is a temporary band-aid. It gains at the very most a 100% increase in effective bandwidth, and that just isn't going to cut it. Of course, in the case of FIOS, they can simply abandon their fixed broadcast network entirely, and switch everything to IPTV. That is not practical with a traditional CATV system.

Overall I am very happy with my new CATV provider, but I desperately wish they would implement SDV. Although I pay somewhat less than I did with TWC, it is really not nearly enough less to justify the loss of over 30 channels of prime content. ( I also lost about 100 channels of junk, but I don't really care about that.)

They are trying to get people to upgrade so they can make more money.

What does FIOS need more than DOUBLE the capacity for? Even if they do, they will probably load the QAM system up to the gills, and then put the least popular stuff or specialized sports packages that aren't always on on IP, as they already have the QAM system set up and working well, so they may as well leverage it as hard as they can.

I honestly don't remember anyone else saying they liked SDV before. (At least not when they had to deal with SDV boxes.)

Exactly. And it makes no sense in a world where cable is the last thing in that dark ages of MPEG-2, and can relatively easily move to MPEG-4. SDV also doesn't really fit in with the FIOS model, even though theoretically it could be run over FIOS's 256QAM system.

I'm glad i purchased a Premiere now! I just had FIOS set up and am glad to be back in the TiVo family, I'm glad i didnt get a TivoHD like i was going to. The Premiere seems to be the right choice for FIOS right now.

Interesting question. It never occurred to me to try that. I'll have to wait for some MPEG4 channels to become available again before I can test if the S3 can record them (I expect not). It can store the recordings, at least after a fashion, since I pulled some from the Premiere. And you can extract transport streams from the S3 (although you can't send them back), so it might be possible to pull them off again intact.

But, even if it works, it doesn't seem terribly useful.

I doubt that very much.

Yea, not very useful for the average person but it would work for my purposes. I'll have to give it a try next month after the update and report back if no one has done so by then.